1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bulk material transport bags. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bulk material transport bag with an improved discharge outlet which enables bulk material contained in the bag to be released by activating the downspout from the side of the bag rather than the underside of the bag.
2. General Background
Bulk material transport bags are quite common in the art, and normally such a bag would have an discharge spout extending from the bottom of the bag which is used to release the dry bulk product within the bag following transport. Every large bulk bag manufacturer including companies such as Super Sack Manufacturing Corp., Langston Companies, Stone Container, Augusta Bag, Chase Packaging Corporation, and Bulklift International, and the present applicant Flexcon and Systems, Inc. manufacture and sell bags which would have a cylindrical or a square discharge spout extending from the bottom of the bag which would normally be tied off and stuffed into the bag. Further there would be included a secondary flap or iris closure around the bottom of the bag to help protect the discharge tube during transport of the bulk material.
When this type of bag reaches its destination, the discharge flap or iris closure is opened, the discharge tube is pulled from the bag and it is untied allowing the bulk material to flow through the tube into the container to be utilized at the end of its destination. This type of closure is quite common in the art, and is very useful. However, there are some shortcomings to the closure in that an individual or the like must risk standing beneath a bag of bulk material which might weight one to two tons, and attempt to open the closure tube and yet at the same time avoid the bulk material from pouring out of the tube and perhaps injuring the worker. Worse yet, simply being under such a bag were a lifting loop or the like to fail, may have a catastrophic consequence for the person beneath the bag.
Therefore, it would be an improvement in the art of discharge spouts for bulk material transport bags, to incorporate a means for releasing the bottom discharge end of the bag without a worker or the like having to stand beneath the bag in order to accomplish this. Further, it would be beneficial if in fact the bag did not require a discharge spout, but simply allowed the worker to release a tie from the discharge opening in the bottom of the bag allowing the material to flow therefrom.